Scan barcode
blob's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
elang17's review against another edition
5.0
— The Dead
"His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead."
Begitulah kalimat terakhir dari novela The Dead, yang ditulis oleh James Joyce dengan amat memukau. Barangkali, ini adalah salah satu titik terakhir (end-point) yang paling baik dari sebuah karya fiksi, setelah yang dilakukan Chales Dickens pada setengah abad sebelumnya lewat roman A Tale of Two Cities.
The Dead—yang menjadi salah satu bagian dari kumpulan cerpen The Dubliners—menceritakan tentang acara perkumpulan para sanak keluarga di malam natal. Narasi dimulai dengan Gabriel sebagai tokoh utama, dan berlangsung dengan wajar selama 3/4 cerita: tidak banyak riak di permukaan, namun menyimpan rahasia yang begitu dalam yang kelak di bagian akhir akan diungkap oleh istri Gabril. Sekuens akhir tersebut sukses menjungkirbalikkan cerita yang telah dibangun dengan rapi menjadi akhir yang begitu emosional.
Joyce banyak menyisipkan potret-potret masyarakat Dublin melalui dialog-dialog para tokoh yang bergumul tentang kebudayaan, seni, dan sejarah lokal. Kejeliaan mata Joyce dan kelihaian imajinasinya tersebut sukses membesarkan namanya sebagai salah satu sastrawan paling berpengaruh di Britania dengan mahakaryanya yang berjudul The Ulysses (1920) yang menjadi salah satu avant-garde sastra di masa itu.
"His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead."
Begitulah kalimat terakhir dari novela The Dead, yang ditulis oleh James Joyce dengan amat memukau. Barangkali, ini adalah salah satu titik terakhir (end-point) yang paling baik dari sebuah karya fiksi, setelah yang dilakukan Chales Dickens pada setengah abad sebelumnya lewat roman A Tale of Two Cities.
The Dead—yang menjadi salah satu bagian dari kumpulan cerpen The Dubliners—menceritakan tentang acara perkumpulan para sanak keluarga di malam natal. Narasi dimulai dengan Gabriel sebagai tokoh utama, dan berlangsung dengan wajar selama 3/4 cerita: tidak banyak riak di permukaan, namun menyimpan rahasia yang begitu dalam yang kelak di bagian akhir akan diungkap oleh istri Gabril. Sekuens akhir tersebut sukses menjungkirbalikkan cerita yang telah dibangun dengan rapi menjadi akhir yang begitu emosional.
Joyce banyak menyisipkan potret-potret masyarakat Dublin melalui dialog-dialog para tokoh yang bergumul tentang kebudayaan, seni, dan sejarah lokal. Kejeliaan mata Joyce dan kelihaian imajinasinya tersebut sukses membesarkan namanya sebagai salah satu sastrawan paling berpengaruh di Britania dengan mahakaryanya yang berjudul The Ulysses (1920) yang menjadi salah satu avant-garde sastra di masa itu.
anaislepri's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
maggiey's review
4.0
idk why i liked this but i did, i dont even really know what its supposed to be about but yay!
gabriel is a pretentious and self-centered horny man who thinks he's better than everyone! and gretta :( bro :(
gabriel is a pretentious and self-centered horny man who thinks he's better than everyone! and gretta :( bro :(
jgwc54e5's review against another edition
4.0
A reread. Beautifully written, captures the personality of the various characters so well.
georgeanna_'s review against another edition
3.0
I didn't dislike this story. Quite the opposite actually, I found the descriptions engaging, the allusions gripping, and the plot twist at the end exciting (albeit ludicrous). Rather, I found Gabriel so detestable that I simply could not enjoy the story. I suppose it is the ultimate rejection that he faces, in contrast to the rejection he repeatedly faces from Lily, his friends, and ultimately, his own wife. Maybe, that hints at Joyce's expertise at breaking the fourth wall; not only do all of the characters push Gabriel away, but so did I.
CHARACTERS (Grade: A):
They seemed as realistic as they could be, with witty banter and charismatic personalities. However, as I stated, I couldn't help but despise Gabriel. He was simply so weak and pathetic. He was brilliant and yet he felt ashamed for being so. At the same time, he was contradictorily pompous and elitist. His contradicting nature didn't end with his ego, no Joyce couldn't leave his character half-way likable. Gabriel is a weak man that hopes, no, expects to be regarded as a domineering figure. He is realistic, but does not have the capacity for me to sympathize with him.
PLOT (Grade: B+):
The plot held hidden glimmers of human truth, which is just about what I expected of the story. My only qualm with it was the fact that the "climax" was so ridiculous. It was simply that Michael Furey that had "died" for Gretta (which I don't fully buy either). Gabriel gets himself up in a tissy complaining and "realizing" he never loved his wife. I could see where one would be hurt to not have known about a past lover, but to be so violently passionate about it only made me detest Gabriel more (and thus lowering my appreciation for the work itself).
Like I previously stated, I don't dislike this story. Done in another manner with a less detestable main character, I may have even liked it more. It simply didn't stand out in a crowd of assigned reading.
CHARACTERS (Grade: A):
They seemed as realistic as they could be, with witty banter and charismatic personalities. However, as I stated, I couldn't help but despise Gabriel. He was simply so weak and pathetic. He was brilliant and yet he felt ashamed for being so. At the same time, he was contradictorily pompous and elitist. His contradicting nature didn't end with his ego, no Joyce couldn't leave his character half-way likable. Gabriel is a weak man that hopes, no, expects to be regarded as a domineering figure. He is realistic, but does not have the capacity for me to sympathize with him.
PLOT (Grade: B+):
The plot held hidden glimmers of human truth, which is just about what I expected of the story. My only qualm with it was the fact that the "climax" was so ridiculous. It was simply that Michael Furey that had "died" for Gretta (which I don't fully buy either). Gabriel gets himself up in a tissy complaining and "realizing" he never loved his wife. I could see where one would be hurt to not have known about a past lover, but to be so violently passionate about it only made me detest Gabriel more (and thus lowering my appreciation for the work itself).
Like I previously stated, I don't dislike this story. Done in another manner with a less detestable main character, I may have even liked it more. It simply didn't stand out in a crowd of assigned reading.
panda_parade's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0